Search continues for Clinton bank robber

The search is still on for the man who robbed the Clinton branch of Whidbey Island Bank on March 22.

The search is still on for the man who robbed the Clinton branch of Whidbey Island Bank on March 22.

“We’re working a couple of different angles, but there’s nothing of use to anybody yet,” Island County Sheriff’s Detective Rick Felici said Monday.

“We’re kind of chipping away at this thing, but it’s like eating an elephant — one bite at a time,” he added.

The man walked into the bank just before 1:30 p.m. on March 22, claimed to have a weapon, and demanded money. He escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash and fled on foot. No weapon was seen, Felici said.

The man was dressed in blue jeans and a dark coat, and was wearing a red scarf across his face and sunglasses. A photograph from the bank’s surveillance camera has been circulated.

Felici said witnesses described the robber as about 6 feet tall and weighing between 200 and 230 pounds. He said the man was believed to be white, but that it was difficult to tell because his head was covered by the scarf and glasses, and he wore gloves.

“We’re just guessing at this point,” Felici said.

Assisted by the FBI, police gathered evidence at the scene, including fingerprints and footprints. Toll-booth workers at the Clinton Ferry Terminal also were alerted, Felici said.

He said officials were examining all relevant information from tips and the data bases of agencies on and off the island.

“We’ve received a fair amount of tips, but not as many as we’d like,” Felici said.

“Typically, these crimes get solved with information from someone who knows,” he added.

Candy Anderson, manager of the bank branch, said it’s the bank’s corporate policy not to discuss details of a robbery, including the amount of money involved.

“But we’re pretty much back to normal,” she said.